Five S’wakians rescued from job scams now stranded in Cambodia

KUCHING (Oct 13): Five Sarawakians who were rescued from job scams remain stranded in Cambodia, according to Sarawak United Peoples’ Party (SUPP) Public Complaints Bureau chief Milton Foo.

He said three of the victims are currently held at the Immigration Centre in Sihanoukville while the other two are held in the Immigration Removal Centre.

Foo, who has been in contact with one of the victims who identifies as Nathalya, confirmed a total of seven Malaysians were stranded, including two individuals from Johor, as verified by the Malaysian embassy in Cambodia.

The victims are all in their early 20s.

“The officer confirmed to me they have seven Malaysians but unfortunately, our citizens are stuck at the Immigration Removal Centre and not the embassy,” he said in a press conference at the SUPP headquarters here today.

He explained an appeal letter has been sent to the Cambodian government but they are still awaiting approval from Cambodian authorities to proceed with repatriation.

Adding on, Foo said he would work closely with the Malaysian authorities and submit police reports to ensure the victims can return home safely.

“What I can do for our worried parents is try to reach out to the Cambodian Minister in Malaysia. If needed, I will write to them and forward all police reports to the ministry for immediate assistance so their children can to Malaysia and Sarawak,” he said.

He also urged anyone facing similar situations not to trust any third-party organisations or non-government organisations and to only seek help from government channels or political parties.

“If you want help, reach out to any political party in Malaysia or approach a legitimate channel like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where it’s safe, as scammers everywhere now are using AI — even if you receive a video call that looks like your child, don’t send money until you meet them in person or verify through the proper channels,” he stressed.

During the press conference, the parents of victims recounted how their daughters, Fifi and Noraina, as well as Nathalya, had fallen victim to job recruitment scams on Facebook.

Three of the victims did not inform their parents about their trip to Cambodia and their families only learnt of the situation when their daughters reached out, explaining they could not return to Malaysia without paying exorbitant fees to the scammers holding them.

After contacting the Malaysian embassy, the Cambodian police intervened and rescued the victims.

On Sept 29, four months after they arrived in Cambodia, the victims were rescued and placed at the Immigration Centre and Immigration Removal Centre where they remain stranded.

Unable to return, they contacted their parents who then sought Foo’s assistance in helping to secure their daughters’ safe return.